One hunting method is to use a dog that's been trained to lure a coyote back to shooting range.

Yes, it works very well. Coyotes do not like dogs in their area. Numerous bird dogs are killed in this part of OK every year by coyotes.

A friend is a dedicated coyote hunter. She has two mutts trained to play in the pasture and attract coyotes. When the dogs get chased they bring the coyote in to get killed. The same lady has two pairs of Russian wolfhounds: They make short work of coyotes.

I live in the SW edge of Oklahoma City metro. West of me is a lot of undeveloped property. One evening when we had guests visiting from the East Coast area I took them out to my front lawn and told them to listen. You could hear the coyotes singing and yelping not more that 200 yards from my front porch. Freaked out my guests that WILD DANGEROUS ANIMALS were ALLOWED to run loose in the city limits. All I could do is chuckle quietly.
Last month about 2 miles into the more settled area of the metro I has a coyote cross the street in front of me at about noon.
By the way American Indians believe the coyote is a trickster who stole fire and gave it to man, but can't keep from being a pain in the butt to everyone he meets.

OK, here's a tip that works. (I know, I've done it.) Drink lots of liquids, then go out and pee all along your fence or property line. This is how canines define territory.

The coyote, wolf, whatever, will come up, smell your "mark" and then proceed to "mark" the same spot. This delineates the boundary of your and the animal's territory, and generally, it is respected. You do need to go out and refresh occasionally, though.

We heard one howling last night and then a while later we actually heard it take some small animal. The wife did not like hearing the struggle or when I said "that's the circle of life honey". It sounded like a small dog but I had to reassure my wife that it was probably some other small animal and not someones pet.
People seem so surprised to hear these things but the more condos they build the less space the wildlife has.

You've got a point there, as I do live now in a semi remote area. However, I first learned of the trick when I lived in Miami, FL.

My next door neighbor had a very viscious pit bull that he usually left to guard his business. On occasion he would bring it home and let it loose in his back yard.

At the time I had small children, and the dog seemed to have a proclivity to attempt to climb the fence to get at them, and me as well.

I first learned of this little "trick" from a documentary about a guy who lived in the Northwest Territories and was studying wolves. Apparently, he was in a lonely shack in wolf country, and the wolves (being naturally curious, and probably hungry) were closing in on his cabin. He related how he drank lots of tea, then went out and "marked" various rocks around his cabin, at which point, the wolves would come and "mark" the other side of the rock to delineate their "territory" and left him alone after that.

I figured I had nothing to lose with my neighbor's pit bull (I had already warned him that, because I had small children, I would not hesitate to kill the dog if it got in my yard), so, very late one night, after consuming copious amounts of Diet Coke, I went out and "marked" the fence.

Naturally, the pit came charging up to the fence, but, much to my surprise, stopped, sniffed the fence, proceeded to "mark" his side and never bothered me again.

So, you have a point about populated areas, but just go out very late at night and take care of it. Trust me: It works.

We haven't had a problem with coyotes stalking our dogs, since the dogs are only outdoors on their own in daylight, in an enclosure, if at all. Normally they are with me and/or the wife, whether indoors or out.

However, we have coyotes in the area, and the things are huge. We recently moved from Georgia, where coyotes were maybe 35-50lbs, to NW Missouri... I mistook a coyote for a fawn, at first the other day, as it jumped out of a ditch near the road, as it was that tall - but it became immediately clear it was a coyote.

Two days ago, I saw a lone coyote in my west pasture, and I'd estimate its size as German Shepherd. Two of us saw it (a gentleman who was delivering our horses was with me), and it was definitely a coyote - although at first I thought it might have been a neighbor's dog.

I've never seen coyotes this size; they look like small wolves.

Finally convinced my wife to carry a 442 when she tends the horses at night, though - she saw one of the beasts the other day.

I'm not too worried that they will do anything, but on the other hand, if they do, these things are big enough that ONE would pose a threat, let alone a pack.

Yes, exactly. It was a TV documentary about Farley Mowat and his study of wolves in northwestern Canada. I didn't mention him as Farley Mowat is not exactly a household name. When I was a small kid, I really enjoyed his book The Dog Who Wouldn't Be.

At any rate, I found his method to be extremely useful and it does work.

some coyotes have been known to hybridize with domestic dogs. australian shepherds are a major breed that they tend to go for if I remember correctly. however I've heard more stories of coyotes running dogs to death than I have of making coydog pups. I guess it depends on the dogs...I am surprised that the coyote came as close to you as it did, usually ours are gone if you come within 200 yards.

__________________
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Most times they are gone if they spot you. But on a few occasions I've spotted them watching. One time is was cutting twine off of a hay bale and turned around a one was sitting behind me just sitting and looking. No rifle, of course. While their behavior is predictable, in many cases, its not.

Their ability to adapt, go after different prey, eat berries, or down some cow patties to get through a tough spell has made them flourish.

Yeah, coy-dogs can be a touchy subject! Rickyrick you are right on with the sounds. They are always looking to fill their bellies & with the pups geting ready to hit the ground the pup distress will also provoke a response! You may also try some lone howls but make sure to keep them on the higher pitched side. You want the resident coyotes to think they can whoop the intruder not run from it! Also, if they are using the same trails on a regular basis, you can set up an ambush. Sort of like a deer hunt but for coyotes! Just bark at one when you get it in the sights! They will usually turn broadside for the perfect shot! Make sure to take pics to share with the forum!

The ambush method works well with coyotes and pigs. Coyote tracks are pretty distinct in dust. They hold their shape better than hoof tracks. If fresh they can easily be distinguished from dogs.

The best way that I can describe the difference is that dog tracks have a happier rounder shape and coyote is a little longer than wide and appears more menacing. Dogs and coyotes show nails in their tracks, cats do not.

Also the middle two toes on a coyote are close together with the claws almost touching and turned toward each other. Because they are so close the coyote track will have an odd shaped "X" formed between the toes and the pad. A dog will usually have three distinct lines on the toe end and the two middle toes will almost point away from each other. Of course there are exceptions! And to help destinguish between cat and canine on a packed or sandy soil that might not show claws clearly, a cat has three distinct lobes on its rear pad where a canine's pad is just rounded on the back side. I hope this all helps. Find a good trail and pop some coyotes!

A dog will
usually have three distinct lines on the toe
end and the two middle toes will almost
point away from each other. Of course
there are exceptions!

Make sure to quote the part where I threw in the "usually" and the "of course there are exceptions"! In general, a "large" or coyote size dog will tend to have the spread middle toes. But yes, some domestic dogs do exhibit that feature. The smaller domestics (terriers and such that tend to have the "coyote" print) don't usually make to many tracks in the same area as coyotes before they become prey .

We haven't had a problem with coyotes stalking our dogs, since the dogs are only outdoors on their own in daylight, in an enclosure, if at all. Normally they are with me and/or the wife, whether indoors or out.

However, we have coyotes in the area, and the things are huge. We recently moved from Georgia, where coyotes were maybe 35-50lbs, to NW Missouri... I mistook a coyote for a fawn, at first the other day, as it jumped out of a ditch near the road, as it was that tall - but it became immediately clear it was a coyote.

Two days ago, I saw a lone coyote in my west pasture, and I'd estimate its size as German Shepherd. Two of us saw it (a gentleman who was delivering our horses was with me), and it was definitely a coyote - although at first I thought it might have been a neighbor's dog.

I've never seen coyotes this size; they look like small wolves.

Finally convinced my wife to carry a 442 when she tends the horses at night, though - she saw one of the beasts the other day.

I'm not too worried that they will do anything, but on the other hand, if they do, these things are big enough that ONE would pose a threat, let alone a pack.

MLeake, welcome to Missouri.
I've killed a lot of coyotes here in Missouri, most were in the 35 to 50 pound range like what you had in Georgia.
However I've killed a few in the 70 pound range.

Ive seen packs of coyotes with as many as 9 in a pack. I just got a call from a fellow the other day that said he had 10 in a pack that was in with his cattle.

Two days ago I was out on a horse and seen three in a pack, can't shoot them right now because season is closed during spring turkey season.

Even if your dog is bigger than the coyote, the coyote will lure it away where the pack can take down the bigger dog.

I have personally witnessed this exact thing. We live in the country and routinely have coyotes cross behind the house in the pasture there. We had a Border Collie who thought it his job to "watch over" the back yard and pasture.

One morning I looked the window to see a group of three Coyotes just entering the pasture. The dog noticed them right away and started walking out toward them (still 200 yds. separating them). I knew the B/C wouldn't go all the way out there...but went to get my rifle just in case.

I did not call out to our dog...because I wanted to see what the Yodel Dogs would do (continue coming or flee). As soon as the lead Coyote spotted our dog (now sitting down about 50 yds. from the house) he immediately broke into a trot that brought him within 30-40 yds. of our dog. The Coyote then turned and made a big half circle back and forth.

The other two Coyotes hung back a ways and split off, one to the left the other to the right. Both just stood there watching the first one taunt the dog.

Finally, the B/C could take no more and loped out after the Coyote...which promptly ran over to a big brush pile I had pushed up in the pasture. It ran to the top of the pile and would come down about half way then go back up, while the B/C chased it. Only when the B/C got too close would it "snap" and "snarl".

In the meantime...the other two Coyotes moved in and flanked my dog. I could see this wasn't a "game" anymore and I moved out onto the back porch with the rifle. I called to our B/C but he pretty much ignored me (unusual for him). I thought about calling him off one more time but was afraid that if I diverted his attention away from the Coyote, it would attack him.

By now the other two were getting really close, their intention was clear.

I quickly sent a shot just over the top of the coyote on the brush pile (didn't want my dog to jump on it if I shot the coyote) and that worked, all the coyotes cleared out at break neck speed and the Border Collie didn't care for it either...as he came running back to the house all slinking and with his tail tucked half between his legs.

I have NO DOUBT those coyotes were trying to lure my dog out there (which they did) and purposed to "stretch him out" (all three attack him).

Not for food, they have plenty of that around here...but as matter of territory.

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